Stewart was only trying to gain more viewers yesterday! That is it!

[KansasVoter]

So he tells the GOP that both sides of the press are bad and need to change. And then maybe some on the right wingers will start watching him. He was not going to come out and say what needed to be said and piss off the all of the potential right wing viewers.

It was a huge promotion for his show. Nothing else!

IMO of course!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Oh, bullcrap.

[mdmc]

2. I think that is obvious

I don't have cable tv, so I don't know..

But it seems obvious to me - Stewart and Colbert are TV personalities - they held a rally to boost their shows..

Why else would they do it? What else would be their motivation?

[uncommon]

24. Maybe that they give a shit about this country?

But way to be cynical.

[JuniperLea]

3. What a load of fertilizer...

IMHO...

[mdmc]

4. what do you think their motivation was my friend?

It seems obvious that they want more viewers.. No?

[LaurenG]

6. Stewart was making a point. He feels strongly about the way the media

handles the political environment. Did you not see him as a guest on bow-tie boys show on CNN. He appeared on Crossfire in 2004 and tore them a new orifice. It was a beautiful thing. Needless to say I think you are way off base but what's new, I think lots of people are.

Here is the transcript: http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bljonstewartcrossfire.htm

edited to add link

[mdmc]

8. I don't have cable tv - I do watch TDS and CR on hulu

I saw the rally as a big party..
I didn't see it (I didn't watch any of it - just saw pics here on DU) - but I think that it was a party.
I don't think Colbert and Stewart wanted to change how cable TV operates. I'm sure they hate the fickle lame USA news media. I don't think they walked away from this rally with a plan to end cable news. I think they did rally their viewers..

So the motivation for the rally (in your opinion) was to offend cable news and get people to stop watching cable news?

At least I am on board (no longer watching cable news)..

[LaurenG]

14. I also thought the rally was a big party. A party was just what the demoralized base needed.

I thought it was funny and very tongue in cheek as well. I never said it was geared to offend cable news shows but hey whatever positives we can get, I'm good with. He did an awesome job of showing some of us how stupid we are to fill the airways with hate so that viewers have hate filled and nasty talking points to use against anyone we disagree with.


There was a lot of nuance and genuine concern about the way the media is handling themselves, which in turn is creating dangerous situations and violence and talk of violence. I don't care if he rallied viewers, maybe he did, I do care that he cared enough to be concerned about our country.

[mdmc]

19. TDS + Colbert are the only cable news I watch

:toast:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Oh, I dunno... Maybe a genuine desire to do something positive?

Sometimes people do that, even professional entertainers.

[mdmc]

10. agreed

The rally was very positive and I am glad that it was held.

I don't think that it was held to end cable news. It was a failure if the rally intended to end cable news.

I think it was a huge party hosted by comedy central. I think it was very positive.

[sally cat]

12. They are Noble Altruists™ born 'n raised.

[rawtribe]

5. Some here can't handle your blunt truth.

K&R

[pintobean]

22. That's usually the case

when the truth goes against what many want to believe.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Here what he was really doing

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9435650

Sophisticated as hell, perhaps why so many people are missing it.

[sally cat]

11. He just forgot to mention all this until three days before he figures the pukes are gonna take over.

[damntexdem]

13. A lot of anti-Stewart BS floating around DU today.

The rally must have been a REAL SUCCESS!

[JuniperLea]

18. +1

I wonder if it's this bad... you know... over there...

[prolesunited]

20. They are just mad that he didn't use the platform

to declare Obama and the Dems a failure for not being progressive enough. Maybe if he shouted, "Free Mumia!"

[uncommon]

25. People are just mad he didn't push a liberal agenda during the rally - although I think he did.

It was subtle but he touched on a lot of what matters to most of us here.

[laylah]

15. I respectfully disagree! He meant well

and wanted many to follow their conscience. You are SO offbase on this one...IMVHO...

Jenn

[unapatriciated]

16. I respectfully disagree...

That's what I learned Saturday

[JoePhilly]

17. Yea ... now people who don't watch him will .... sigh.

[KT2000]

21. You're kididng, right?

It was Stewart who went on Crossfire and told them they were hurting America - years ago.
He is using his platform for good. Our country is sick and he knows it. The way to fix that was not to inflame the war but calm it down.
His goal was larger than partisan politics.

[CJCRANE]

23. And Colbert had the same message

at the WH Corresponents' Dinner in '06.

[KT2000]

29. Yes - I was thinking

about that when I was typing the post. Both of those guys have COURAGE!! And I respect them immensely.

[TroglodyteScholar]

26. Proudly unrecommended.

Thanks for letting us know it was only your opinion, though.

[otohara]

27. Wingnut Talking Point

thanks for bringing it to DU! :sarcasm:

Wow, just wow!

[moondust]

28. It does serve Jon's interests to lump all the "real" news programs together

and criticize them equally as the bad guys. That presumably makes him the good guy.

But I think there was more to it than simply attracting more viewers.